Worth sending update letter to schools?

[sparky7189]

Hi, I was wondering if any of these activities would be worth using in an update letter to schools I haven't gotten interviews from? I feel like a weakness on my application was my clinical experience but I don't know if an update letter would help if much.

1) Paid MA position that I recently started (have around 100 hours currently) (all of my clinical experience on my app came from volunteering)
2) I have continued my hospice volunteering + food pantry volunteering and have more hours (I listed the activity on my app but didn't have a lot of hours)
3) 2nd author publication recently in a peer-reviewed but small journal (this was research that I was only involved in during undergrad but didn't continue after graduating)

Currently I only had one interview that turned into a waitlist 🙁. Thanks!

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[sarcasmrules]

1 (especially if your clinical hours are low) and 3 are worth updating. 2 is just saying "I racked up more hours." If that community service really does fit into your narrative, hours don't matter, except for maybe service-based schools, but let's be honest, if it's service-based schools, they're probably eyeing applicants with 500+ hours of community service at the time they submitted their application.

 

[GoSpursGo]

3 for sure is worth an update, but won't correct a fundamental flaw in clinical experience.

Based on your prior posts, I wouldn't be worried about your clinical experience, so personally I wouldn't bother with 1 or 2. But if you wanted to bundle them into an update letter, I would leave out the non-clinical stuff entirely so that the focus remains on what you're trying to shore up most. You could frame the letter like so.

"Dear <Med School>,

I'm pleased to update you that my research group recently had a publication titled <title> accepted in <journal>, and I was included as the 2nd author. In this publication we showed <xyz>. I specifically contributed to<abc experiments>.

Additionally, during my gap year I am focusing on increasing my clinical exposure in preparation for medical school, and have obtained an additional <x> hours through <activity 1> and <activity 2>"

 

[sparky7189]

3 for sure is worth an update, but won't correct a fundamental flaw in clinical experience.

Based on your prior posts, I wouldn't be worried about your clinical experience, so personally I wouldn't bother with 1 or 2. But if you wanted to bundle them into an update letter, I would leave out the non-clinical stuff entirely so that the focus remains on what you're trying to shore up most. You could frame the letter like so.

"Dear <Med School>,

I'm pleased to update you that my research group recently had a publication titled <title> accepted in <journal>, and I was included as the 2nd author. In this publication we showed <xyz>. I specifically contributed to<abc experiments>.

Additionally, during my gap year I am focusing on increasing my clinical exposure in preparation for medical school, and have obtained an additional <x> hours through <activity 1> and <activity 2>"

thank you very much! do you think there is a good time to send update letters?

 

[GoSpursGo]

thank you very much! do you think there is a good time to send update letters?

Hard to say. I would try to avoid sending more than one. Do you have any other potential major updates in the coming 3 months (i.e. publications under review, awards you are nominated for)?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Read

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If at first you don’t succeed, write an update letter! - SDN

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www.studentdoctor.net